Distance
by WanderingShadowlight
Summary: AU -Oneshot- Such a short ways away, and yet neither of us have ever crossed it...making this seem that much farther... *Puzzleshipping! Or this could be friendship fic. Something went wrong so I had to upload it again. Sorry for the inconvenience.


**A/N: The plot of this story is based on a comic I've read recently. I thought it was good so I applied it to YGO. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything that's already been copyrighted, including this plot.**

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**This Distance between Us**

All throughout my high school years, he has always sat beside me – always on my right – in every class and oddly enough, I was drawn in by his persona. To me, he is someone really special even though we have never spoken to each other before.

It doesn't matter whether it was during break between classes or when our homeroom teacher wasn't around; I still sat beside him in order to be close to him, and from what I've seen so far, he seldom left his.

Oh, you must be wondering who or what I'm talking about. My name is Yugi Mutou, a student from Domino High and the person I'm talking about is Yami Atemu. We have often been mistaken as brothers because of our similar appearances but other than that, we pretty much kept to ourselves. We may have been seated beside each other, but not once have we exchange small talks, not even a greeting. There is nothing between us except for this very short distance.

Then one day, he just stopped coming to school. Since then, the distance has stretched out far between us, to the point that I wonder whether I would be able to catch up anymore. I was so sure then that our paths would never cross, but…

One year later, we meet again…

I was visiting my grandpa who had broken his leg while climbing a ladder when I heard someone call my name.

"Yugi!"

I turned around and there, to my surprise, was Yami Atemu in a hospital gown, looking as shocked as I was. "Huh, Yami?! What are you doing here?"

Yami must have gotten over his shock, for the next thing I knew he pounced on me, making me drop my bouquet of flowers. "Ha ha ha! It really is you! Thank you, mother! I've already found him!" he laughed in delight.

"Eh, what?!" I was confused beyond belief, not to mention embarrass at all the curious stares we're receiving. "Wait, everyone's watching. Please let go of me…"

Yami pulled back with a bright grin on his tan face. "Yugi, do you still remember me? Didn't I sit beside you on your right when we were still juniors?"

Maybe it was because we miss each other during such a long absence, but after that we became the best of friends, as if we have known each other closely all our lives.

Since then, I've been dropping by more frequently to visit Yami. I found out that he was a kind, warm person who talks with much wisdom and cheer, so different from the Yami that I've known before.

The reason Yami was in the hospital was because he had contracted a disease so serious it requires immediate attention and treatment. That is as far as he told me, and truth be told, I've never asked. Instead, I always talked about all the things that had been happening in school for the past year for him; from how Bakura and Marik had deliberately blown up the science lab, much to Ryou's and Malik's chagrin, to how Jou and Kaiba finally got together.

Even then, when we sat side by side, sometimes I saw loneliness seeped into his features when he thought I wasn't looking. That was when I truly felt how very far he was from where I am, and there was nothing I could do about it.

It was during one of these visits that I finally flopped down beside him to say, "Man, talking about school all the time is so boring. When will you be discharge from this place and come back? What is this serious disease that you've told me about anyway?"

Yami didn't reply immediately. When I looked over to see his face, I noticed that the sides of our hands were brushing against each other. Even at such a little touch had me blushing and I turned away, secretly happy inside. Oh how nice it would be, if time could just stop at this moment.

"I just know," Yami suddenly spoke, breaking me out from my thoughts. "That the beating of my heart could just stop, just like that. The doctor said it's because I have a weak heart, a genetic disease that I've gotten from my mother who died from the very same thing."

"T-That means…you could d-die anytime…" my voice trembled.

"Wah, don't cry!" He quickly covered my eyes with his right hand, just as the tears were about to fall. "It's not as bad as you think!"

"Okay, tell you what," he continued. "I have a present for you but if you cry the present will disappear!"

"Yami, let go of your hands first –"

"Promise that you won't cry?"

I nodded, and he pulled back his hand, making me missed that warm contact but I was curious. "So, where's the present?"

He smiled and turn over his hand, palm up, and there, drawn on his hand, was a caricature of a little Kuriboh waving its paw with 'hello' written on the side. "Thank Ra it didn't get wash away by your tears."

I laughed. That was another thing about Yami, not only was he kind, he was funny as well. As we talked and joked through the night, his fingers landed over mine subtly and I chose not to say anything, content on just being there by his side.

Yami said that it wasn't as bad as I've thought. I believed it…I wanted to believe it.

Tonight, Yami looks very tired. His skin is pale and sweaty and his exotic crimson eyes were dim with weariness. I started to worry for him. He said that this is normal and forbid me to call a doctor.

"Did you know, a day before my mother passed away, she said that when someone dies, their spirit will become one of the stars in the sky." he said softly. "Yugi, would you accompany me somewhere?"

It was a little difficult but with careful maneuvering, we arrived on the rooftop. "Yami, what are we doing up here?" I panted.

He motioned his head towards the starry sky and said, "The news broadcast said that there will be a rain of shooting stars tonight. I want you to see it with me."

Once we made ourselves comfortable, he leaned his head on my shoulders, breathing against the crook of my neck. "After my mother died, I was registered into the hospital. I once made a wish on a shooting star, hoping that I could see you once again…when we met each other that day, I was so sure that it was my mother who brought you to me."

I don't know why but as he talked, my heart begins to grow uneasy. "I don't believe it. You're lying."

"Yeah, I was just joking. Come on, smile a little…"

"No, I can't. I can't smile…" I said stubbornly, starting to sniffle.

I felt as if Yami is getting farther and farther away…

Yami covered my eyes, just like he did before. "I have a present for you…don't cry, or the present will disappear…" he said breathily.

I'm scared, afraid of this feeling that I will lose him…

"I – I don't want the presents anymore." This time, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Yami, I l –"

This time, his hand moved to cover my mouth. "Please don't…just don't say anything right now…"

"Yami…"

"Heh, I'm so tired. Let me sleep for a while before the shooting stars fall. In the meantime, please keep me company. You don't have to say anything just…be by my side." he smiled shakily.

Yami…

As he rests his head on my shoulders, the first shooting star falls from the sky, followed by many others. I didn't know whether he saw it, my vision was too blurred with tears to see properly. Just as the last shooting star fades across the sky, his head lolled forwards and onto my lap. I brush his hair away from his peaceful face, my tears dripping down on him as I cradled him.

"Yami, I really, really love you, Yami, all this time. Please don't sleep anymore…" I choked on my words.

It was no use. Yami has already fallen asleep but this time he…will not be able to wake up again. The little Kuriboh drawn on his hand was already smudged from my tears when I gently held them in my hands, sobbing against his chest.

I will never forget this moment. Under the rain of shooting stars where we sat…it was the closest distance I ever had between me and Yami.

And yet, it was also the farthest -- forever and ever.

* * *

*sob* I don't know about you but I find myself crying the first time I read this. Please read and review *sob* Wah, I made Yami die!


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